


I Did Something Weird Last Night

by c1trus, grub



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Divergent, Las Vegas Wedding, M/M, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 12:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10899747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/c1trus/pseuds/c1trus, https://archiveofourown.org/users/grub/pseuds/grub
Summary: Liam spent New Year’s Eve with his arm around Niall, getting drunk in Louis’s backyard in London. He didn’t see Louis again until after Freddie’s first birthday, but they kept in touch over text.He’d be married to him in a year.Louis & Liam get married in Las Vegas & their honeymoon is a road trip to Florida.(written for the 1D Married in Vegas Fanwork Fest)





	I Did Something Weird Last Night

**Author's Note:**

> tara (grub) & i (c1trus) switched off writing this for the married in vegas fic fest!! it's, i guess, the culmination of a lot of talking about what a lilo wedding would be like. 
> 
> the title is from a jeff rosenstock song on the album, Worry!

Liam realized he wanted to marry Louis mid-way through the North American leg of the tour. It was a few short months after Zayn had left the band, and a few long weeks after Louis had learned he was about to be a dad. 

It hit Liam suddenly, staring at Louis’s smiling face as he poured cold water over Liam’s head, one of those concerts where they’d all fly back to their hotel in Chicago each night to shoot more of the Perfect music video. He smiled back at Louis and thought, _I want to spend the rest of my life with him_. 

It took an embarrassingly long time before Liam spared a thought for Sophia. He loved Sophia, definitely. But he was _in love_ with Louis. He wanted to marry Louis. 

Sophia broke up with him in October, when they were back in England for their final leg of the tour. It happened just as Louis was starting to get serious with that actress he’d met in Atlanta, Danielle. She was nice, and funny, and she had a California accent. 

During their final concert, on their final tour before the hiatus, Louis and Liam hugged for a million years, and Liam was positive when they finally let go that he’d marry Louis. 

After their final performance as a band, on X-Factor, Liam didn’t see Louis until New Year’s Eve. He went to Louis’s party, although they didn’t spend much time together. After that, they didn’t see each other again until after Freddie was born. Freddie was a whole month old when Liam met him for the first time, sat in Louis’s living room in Los Angeles. That night, they flew together to attend the BRITs, and Liam (shittily, drunkenly) comforted Louis during his first night away from his son since he’d been born. 

When they finally got back to Liam’s house, after the event, after the party, after the after-party, Louis climbed into Liam’s bed and figured out how long it’d be until he’d see Freddie again. 

“Four hours until our flight.”

“That’s, like, two hours of sleep if we fall asleep right now,” Liam added. 

“Then eleven hours on the plane,” Louis continued, ignoring Liam. He paused for a second before he corrected himself, “Eleven and a half.” 

Liam nodded. 

Louis sighed, curled up against Liam and was quiet for a few minutes. Liam thought distantly of something he’d said earlier in the evening, about Louis cuddling him as a substitute for Freddie. Joking, naturally. 

On the flight back to Los Angeles, Louis’s mood was particularly difficult to read. They watched two movies before they both fell asleep. Slept until the plane touched down and they were sleepily escorted from the terminal to their driver. In the car, Liam asked if he could stay at Louis’s for a few days and Louis grunted a reply which he assumed meant yes. 

Over the next months, Liam and Louis would see each other plenty. Whenever Liam was in Los Angeles, he’d stay with Louis. And, usually whenever Louis was in England he’d stop by Liam’s for tea or Chinese take-away. They wrote a lot of songs together. Some for Liam’s album, most of them just for fun. 

2016 wasn’t easy on Louis. Always flying between Los Angeles and home, splitting his time between Freddie and his mum. He had permanent bags under his eyes. A lot of times he wore a tired expression, something almost spiteful or angry. And Liam would try to make him laugh, just like Louis had done for him when he was broken-hearted. 

September in Los Angeles was hot. Not cool and rainy like London. 

Liam surfaced after cannonballing into Louis’s pool to the sound of him laughing. He smiled up at him through still-wet eyelashes and thought, _I’d marry you in a heartbeat_. 

Except that Danielle was inside, entertaining Freddie and playing with the dogs. Danielle made Louis into a dog person, her hair always smelled nice when Liam hugged her, and she made a very cute face when she was trying not to laugh. Maybe Louis would marry her. 

December was an absolute disaster. Liam held Louis while he sobbed in at least three different places, at least seven different times. Louis called the chain necklace Liam was wearing stupid, so he gave it to him. Lou took his picture wearing it and Liam made it the picture that came up when Louis called him. 

Louis texted Liam a few days later to say he had split with Danielle. 

Liam spent New Year’s Eve with his arm around Niall, getting drunk in Louis’s backyard in London. He didn’t see Louis again until after Freddie’s first birthday, but they kept in touch over text. 

He’d be married to him in a year. 

\--

“Oh, fuck,” Louis stretched. “Well, here we are, Payno.”

“IHOP?” Liam half-laughed, looking around the nearly empty restaurant.

“Yeah,” Louis replied, distractedly flipping a Smucker’s Grape Jelly packet between his fingers. Louis felt like everything he did lately was distractedly. Not that he wasn’t interested in life -- he wanted for nothing, was doing exactly what he wanted to do -- but in the back of his mind, there was something else. Between music, family, and the baby, there was a spare ligament of muscle itching, begging to be put to use, but Louis just didn’t know where in his body it was.

Wandering back to the moment, Louis thought about how nice it was to sit somewhere in the wee hours of the morning and not be papped. 

“Nice to just sort of sit, just you and me,” Liam said as soon as Louis had thought it. Louis jiggled his leg and blinked his bleary eyes out of thought, then smiled at Liam. Liam smiled back like he had expected an answer, so Louis said, “You and me, yeah,” without thinking.

Much. Without thinking much. It was an automatic answer, but it sounded too tender, even for this moment in a dead diner. This moment that, even to a bystander, seemed as tender as a cooked, steaming piece of salisbury steak. Louis knew it.

The answer made Liam’s eyes disappear into a smile, but they were back soon enough to stare into his coffee. It had made Liam self-conscious. Louis wanted desperately to fix it -- _was that the itch?_ rang a transient thought -- but, for once, he didn’t really know how. Actually, he admitted to himself, he didn’t know how most of the time. He flicked the packet of Smucker’s towards Liam as an offering. Liam didn’t really respond; his head was tilted back draining the last few drops of coffee in his offwhite IHOP mug. He continued to stare into it after putting it back down with a near-silent thud on the laminate wood table.

The quiet sounds of the few parties’ silverware on plates and clinking of juice glasses rang vaguely in Louis’s ears as he unintentionally studied Liam’s face. A rounded nose; thick eyebrows; and brown eyes that looked easy, familiar, drinkable and fragrant like IHOP coffee. But ‘drinkable’ -- oops, that sounded so intimate. Louis shrugged to himself and took a sip of his own coffee -- unneeded caffeine, as his leg was jiggling full-speed now. Liam was gazing towards the kitchen, now, where one server came out to check on a party about every seven minutes or so.

As if he and Liam hadn’t been exactly that -- intimate -- for years, now. They had been like a game of Tetris ever since they met: trying to fit together until one day in 2012 they got it right, and right, and right, and right.

“You’re all quiet,” Liam said. He pulled an eyebrows-raised face as if to say “how did _that_ happen,” which made Louis laugh hoarsely.

“Yeah, I’m plotting,” Louis said wryly.

“Plotting what?”

“Dunno. We should do something.” Louis sipped his coffee again, more for punctuation than anything. Maybe he really was drinking too much, because his heart was pounding.

“Like what?” Liam prompted, resting his face in his hand. He looked so much like a puppy dog when he did that, Louis wanted to laugh out loud, but he didn’t want to explain it.

And it would be like Louis to say something outrageous. _Steal all the pepper shakers off of the tables_ , he could say. Or maybe just, _Go downtown and get shitfaced before we have to leave Miami_. That would make sense; it would make Liam smile and laugh easily, make him a healthy amount of uncomfortable, just the way Louis liked.

Maybe it was the buzz off the festival he and Steve had just played, that old familiar performance high; or maybe it was just the fact of it all, the certainty, the inevitability, even; maybe it was the way maturity gripped him just then, all suddenly like it did lately. Whatever it was, something struck Louis at that moment and he didn’t want to crack a joke. All he wanted to do was be completely sincere.

“We should get married.” Louis sipped his coffee, looking at Liam over the ridge of the mug.

Pause. Louis felt an emotion wash over him. He felt like it should have been anxiety or fear or even regret, but it was something more like impatience.

A frown spread across Liam’s face. _Was that embarrassment?_ Louis raised his eyebrows. “So? At least let me down easy, Liam, if you’re going to.”

“Ha,” Liam said, as if he didn’t even have the energy to fake laugh properly. He blushed deeply, and Louis worried for a moment he’d gone too far. What if Liam didn’t want this, or didn’t want it this way? Either way, it was all or nothing, now.

Louis put down his coffee. “I’m not joking. Let’s get married, Liam. Seriously.”

Liam smiled wanly. “Are we aiming for a nice day in Spring, then? Or would you prefer Summer?”

He was starting to actually get a bit frustrated, but then Louis looked directly into Liam’s soft eyes. “No, I’m serious,” he pressed. “Liam, I wanna marry you. I actually want to live with you and... wake up next to you, and… I dunno, raise my kid with you. I wanna do all that shit. I want to. ‘Cause you’re my best friend, and… I want to.”

Louis loved that face. The one where you could see the cogs in Liam’s brain turning. _You honestly can’t see it? I thought I was obvious_ , Louis wanted to say, but it stuck in his throat. Now _he_ was getting embarrassed. He might have to take it back if this went on any longer. But he knew he couldn’t.

“Serious?” Liam asked quietly.

“Yeah, I just thought, like…” Louis shrugged. “I’ve just been thinking about it, and, like, yeah.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “‘S about time, isn’t it?”

“I just didn’t know you felt that way too,” Liam said cautiously. He seemed like he was still kind of scared this was all a big practical joke, and any minute all his friends might pop out and start laughing at him.

“I mean,” he continued. “I had hunches, like, stuff you said or did, but I didn’t…”

“Yeah, well.” Louis said. He felt hushed-up in the gust of Liam’s sincerity.

“The answer’s yes, naturally,” Liam smiled, pouring his genuine brown eyes out onto Louis’s face. Louis loved it. He let himself be scalded by the steaming hot authenticity of them.

“Technically, I hadn’t asked a question,” Louis managed to quip.

Liam smiled and laughed goodnaturedly. “Wow. Engaged,” he breathed, awestruck. “To Louis Tomlinson!” he added louder, with a bigger grin to match.

“Okay, okay.” Louis cringed, but he couldn’t hide his broad smile, all pointy teeth glinting in the bluish overhead lights.

\--

A line from that Pavement song that Louis had played for him in the bus once repeated in Liam’s head as he walked back to the cabana with drinks for four in his arms. _So drunk, in the August sun_. He looked at his fiancé-- his fucking fiancé-- and thought, _you’re the kind of girl I like_ , and that made him smile to himself. 

“Cheers, Payno,” Louis said, grabbing two of the drinks from Liam’s arms. He handed one of them to Niall who also thanked Liam. 

He handed the third drink to Harry-- in a plastic cup instead of a glass bottle, and Liam was a little jealous that it was served with a sliced strawberry-- before he sat down next to Louis. 

“When does Zayn get in?” Niall asked, already fidgeting with the paper label on his beer. The name stuck in his throat, like it was an unfamiliar word being said for the first time. 

It had been Louis’s idea to invite Zayn to join their lad’s holiday. Liam guessed that when Louis had texted him, he'd assumed he was going to say no. He definitely seemed surprised when he'd shown Liam his phone, Zayn’s text on the screen: _I could prob come for a night !_

Niall and Louis were the only ones who had seen him since he left the band, and Niall had only seen him for about a second, really. Liam had had a few chats with him, but it was going on two years since they’d had a proper conversation. Harry, naturally, didn’t let on at all about how he was feeling about it. 

“He gets in at 5,” Louis answered. “Probably be here for dinner, then we’ll all go out after.” 

Harry nodded, eyebrows knit tightly behind those white sunglasses that Liam thought made him look even more like an alien than usual.

They spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool, mostly hiding out in the cabana from phone cameras and whispering fans. Liam did convince Harry to swim with him for a little bit, although it was hard to call what they did swimming. Still pleasantly drunk, Liam mostly waded around the shallow water by the stairs and watched Harry try a few dozen surfacing techniques, asking Liam which one looked most mermaid-like. 

“Do you think I fucked up?” Louis asked, when he and Liam were alone in the elevator back to their suite. “By asking Zayn to come, I mean.” 

Liam considered the question, didn’t want to give him a bullshit ‘no’ automatically. Niall was outwardly nervous about it, obviously, and he knew Harry was feeling one way or another about it even if he didn’t want to show it. But… maybe this was good. A push.

“No,” Liam replied earnestly. “I think it’ll be good to catch up. Was for you, yeah?”

Louis nodded. Zayn and him had met up sometime after they’d gotten engaged. They’d been keeping in touch since December, but they finally made time to see each other in early April, right before Harry’s first single dropped. Liam imagined Louis sitting across from Zayn at some LA restaurant, explaining his engagement ring. 

“ _Yeah, yeah… To Liam_ ,” Liam imagined Louis had said, in that sort of way where his voice would get all soft and warm but scratchy in its sincerity. And he imagined Zayn’s laugh, the laugh he used when he was surprised. But happy. 

Louis had called Liam on the way home and told him he wanted Zayn to come to the wedding. 

“I just don’t want to make Niall uncomfortable,” Louis said, interrupting Liam’s reflecting. “I’m sure Harry’ll be fine, but… you know.” 

Liam did know. But.

“If Niall was really upset, or, like... he would’ve told you.”

And that was undeniable. Niall counted on Louis to watch his back, wasn’t shy about making it known when he needed him. Louis was the same; always had Niall watching his back. He conceded with a _hm_ and unlocked the hotel room door and let himself in first, not bothering to hold the door open for Liam for more than a half-second.

Louis fell asleep-- sun-sleepy from spending most of the day in the Las Vegas summer heat-- while Liam showered. After, he climbed into bed next to Louis (who drifted out of sleep only to complain about Liam’s damp hair) and they slept until Zayn phoned Louis to tell him he was on his way. 

They rushed to get dressed and meet Niall and Harry in the casino before the four of them walked to the north valet together. Harry looked especially conspicuous-- despite saying multiple times that he didn’t want to attract attention-- wearing a white fur coat and black jeans so tight Liam could easily make out the curve of his thighs. 

Zayn arrived in Las Vegas with no bags, as if he didn’t intend to stay longer than a few hours, which was mad. His hair was long like it had been when they had just released _Four_ , pushed back with a headband, and the ends were dyed a cool purple. His shirt had Minnie Mouse on it, and he wore a leather jacket over that. Liam looked at Louis to avoid looking directly at Zayn. 

It was admittedly a bit awkward at first. Liam thought it was sad, more than anything, how they started the night acting like strangers. Worse than strangers; acquaintances. Louis played the mediator for roughly the first half hour, comfortable _enough_ with Zayn to make conversation that was friendlier than anything Niall or Harry could manage right away. He was the leader, even now. 

By the time they made it to the restaurant and chatted through their first round of drinks, they had warmed up a bit. Zayn had compliments for Harry and Niall’s solo projects and gently ribbed Liam for still not having his album out. Liam smiled sheepishly, laughed like he hadn’t had fans ask him about the album any time they caught him and Louis in the casino all weekend. He also congratulated Louis and Liam on their engagement, welcoming another round of congratulations from Niall and Harry, too. 

“Do you have a date yet?” Niall asked. 

“No,” Liam said, apologetically. “Don’t really have … anything yet, do we?” 

“Did you know you can get married at Denny’s-- the, um, diner-- here in Vegas?” Zayn said, looking at Louis. 

“Really… Well, I think we’re pretty loyal to IHOP. As a couple,” Louis said, smiling at Liam like their engagement was an inside joke. Liam smiled back.

“You can get married at Taco Bell, too,” Zayn said. 

Niall laughed. Harry said, “Where _can’t_ you get married in Las Vegas?” And Louis made a face like he was pleasantly surprised. 

Although there was an undeniable awkwardness that lingered-- especially between Zayn and Harry-- their conversation as a whole felt more natural as the night progressed. 

Harry insisted on paying. No one argued much, which Harry jokingly acted offended about. 

They stopped at one of the bars in the middle of the casino for another round of drinks on their way out of their hotel. One of the best things about Las Vegas, Liam was pretty sure, was that he could just take off with his drink, glass and all. Louis suggested that they go to Hakkasan first, and that if they wanted to go to another club they could head back to Aria and try Jewel. The rest of them shrugged and followed Louis out onto the strip. 

Once they got inside the club, Liam got a little too drunk way too fast. Niall announced several times that he was pacing himself, despite _definitely_ drinking more than Liam or Louis. Liam lost track of Zayn and Harry fairly early on in the night, and he mostly stayed by Louis’s side. The club was enormous and Liam was fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to find his way back to anyone in their party if they got separated. 

Liam had no idea who the DJ that night was. Louis had tried shouting their name over the music as they were pulled up to the DJ booth, but it just sounded like gibberish to Liam. At some point, Niall joined them in the booth. The majority of the night was a blur of too-loud music, flashing lights, and seemingly endless drinks.

“Having fun?” Louis shouted right next to Liam’s ear. 

He just nodded. Maybe he said, “yeah,” but he couldn’t hear himself at all. 

Louis grinned, swaying a little. “I want you to carry me back to the hotel later,” he yelled.

“Okay!” Liam yelled back. 

“Nice,” Louis mouthed. 

He bobbed along to the music, still swaying. Liam liked the way Louis moved when he was in clubs, loose and flirty. Genuinely comfortable. 

All three of them left the DJ booth to be in the crowd for a bit. Louis and Liam danced a little together, and Liam watched Louis dance with Niall too. He wondered idly where Zayn and Harry were at, but the club was three stories and they really could have been anywhere. Obviously they’d re-group again after. 

After a few hours and a couple more drinks, Liam was losing his fight against the looming feeling of fatigue. Niall disappeared first, then Louis was shouting in Liam’s ear again. 

“Alright, Payno?” he asked. “Ready to get out of here?” 

Liam said yes, and Louis grabbed his hand to help guide him to the exit. Once they were in the hall, Liam realized how badly his head was throbbing. His eyes narrowed in the non-strobing light. The music from the club was still loud through the thick walls between the main floor and the exit. He checked his phone and was shocked when it was only 2 AM. 

He also had a text and a missed call from Niall. 

Louis was already on the phone with him, still pulling Liam along. Louis’s voice sounded like he was an entire hallway away instead of less than a meter from him. 

“We’ll meet you by that fuckin’, um… Rainforest Cafe or whatever it’s called,” Louis shouted into his phone, which Liam was sure Niall hated, but it was frankly unavoidable. “It’s right across from the club. You genuinely can’t miss it, Neil.” 

Despite Louis, Niall greeted the two of them with a smile when they finally made it out of the nightclub and over to their proposed meeting spot. Liam stared blankly at the extensive giftshop inside the jungle-themed restaurant while Niall and Louis discussed their next move as a unit. Phase one seemed to be find Harry and Zayn. Phase two was TBD. 

_On our way_ , Harry texted Niall back after a few minutes. 

Liam took deep breaths until he felt a little less winded. The white noise of the casino slot machines mixed with the still-audible booming bass of the club across the way was soothing in a way Liam couldn’t quite put his finger on. The buzz of the night’s drinks felt pleasant all over again and it was getting easier to imagine going to a second club the longer they waited for Zayn and Harry. Maybe.

“Ready for another round?” Louis barked, as soon as Zayn and Harry were close enough to hear him. He was smiling. Glowing. Liam stared at him like he was just as wild and mythical as Las Vegas. 

“No!” Harry shouted, good-naturedly. 

“I’m starving,” Niall offered. 

The five of them walked back to the Aria. Liam carried Louis piggy-back until Harry asked, whining, if Liam would carry him instead. He was wearing _boots_ , and Louis was wearing _trainers_ , after all. 

When they finally did make it back to their hotel-- turning what should have been a 15 minute walk into a 30 minute one-- they split up again. Zayn followed Niall and Harry to their room, since Niall was ordering room service. 

Back in their own suite, Liam and Louis sloppily made out on the bed for a few minutes before Liam couldn’t fight it anymore and fell asleep. 

He woke up to the uncomfortably warm feeling of the morning desert sun coming in the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Naturally, neither of them had bothered to close the curtain before they passed out. Louis was still asleep, snoring and sprawled out on the mattress. Liam wondered which one of them had kicked or shoved all the blankets off the bed. 

It was only 6, which meant he’d only been asleep for about 3 hours. 

“Let’s get married at Taco Bell,” Louis mumbled as Liam was getting up to close the blackout curtain. Liam chuckled sleepily, assuming Louis was talking in his sleep. 

“Liam.” He was definitely awake now. “I’m serious. I think that’s where we should get married. Like, today.” 

“Really?” Liam asked, incredulous but genuinely up for it. 

Whenever Liam imagined marrying Louis, it was never really like Ruth’s wedding; in a church, with color coordinated decorations and outfits. As lovely as his sister’s wedding had been, it just never seemed like something he was going to do with Louis. 

It sounded more normal to get married to Louis in Las Vegas, with only a few hours notice. 

“Yeah, really.” Louis said, rubbing his face with both his hands. With that voice that sounded like he was sneering, he added, “You've got to learn to start taking me more seriously, Liam.”

Liam laughed, crawling back into bed after closing the curtains. He wrapped his arms around Louis who squirmed before settling into it. “Okay,” he said. 

“Okay,” Louis repeated, not even bothering to question Liam. 

Before he could send an “invitation” to Zayn, Niall, and Harry, Liam fell asleep again. Louis must have fallen asleep again too, because he was sleeping when Liam woke up a few hours later. He bat his eyelashes against Louis’s forehead until he woke up, smiling and swatting at Liam. 

It was between 8 and 9 in the morning when Louis and Liam started planning their wedding. Louis complained of a hangover almost immediately, so Liam read him the page about getting married at Taco Bell while he dug through the mini bar for drinks. 

“Should we, like… stream it? Like, for your sisters and my mum?” Liam asked earnestly. 

Louis considered it, making himself an ungodly mix of Red Bull and vodka in one of the room’s provided wine glasses. 

“What, like, on Instagram?” he asked. 

“Yeah, or…” Liam shrugged. He had been thinking Facebook, but he loved the way Louis said Instagram. “I dunno.” 

“If it’s on Instagram then fans would watch it,” Louis said. He sipped his horrible drink thoughtfully. His whole face pinched up dramatically when he tasted it, then he took a bigger drink of it. 

“They’ll see it anyway, won’t they? Not exactly a private wedding, doing it there,” Liam replied. 

Louis nodded.

“Yeah. Not saying it’d be bad,” he said.

By 10, Louis had texted Niall to tell him their plan. Niall told Harry and Liam told Zayn-- who Liam learned had spent the night in Harry and Niall’s suite-- while Louis showered and ordered room service for five. Harry, Zayn, and Niall came to Louis and Liam’s room to eat and to further iron out the details of the wedding. 

The process of initiating the ceremony seemed pretty straightforward. According to the website, they just had to ask for it as if they were ordering off the menu. Liam felt a little prickle of embarrassment at the idea of it, but Louis insisted he wasn’t shy about asking. After they asked, they’d have to wait for an officiant to show up, which Liam read usually took about four hours. 

After breakfast and drinks, Liam felt his familiar, comfortable buzz return. 

All five of them left the hotel together. They cut through Crystals-- stopping once for a fan picture-- and took the pedestrian bridge over to Planet Hollywood, Louis leading the way. The short walk was enough for Liam to break a sweat in the heat of Las Vegas in August. Niall complained that he had forgotten sunscreen.

Liam wasn’t expecting the Taco Bell to be so big inside. It made sense, though; everything seemed to be bigger and weirder in Las Vegas. The Taco Bell even had a gift shop, which Liam was fairly sure wasn’t typical. He joined Louis at the counter while the other three perused the two-story Taco Bell. 

Ordering the wedding was easy and painless for the most part. They sat down at one of the tables with a supervisor to go over what was included and to sign something Liam didn’t read. 

Just like they’d anticipated, the wait before the actual ceremony was going to be a little over four hours. Niall quickly suggested they go to one of the day clubs on the strip. 

They spent their afternoon at the Marquee dayclub at The Cosmopolitan across the street, staying fairly drunk and mostly in the sun. Harry bought overpriced sunscreen and offered to apply it for everyone except Louis, who Liam covered instead. At some point, Liam attempted to call his parents and tell them-- shouting loudly over the music-- that he was getting married. 

About an hour and a half before they were supposed to head back to Taco Bell, they left the club and had lunch at The Cosmopolitan. Louis and Zayn discussed how they were going to stream the wedding. 

“I don’t think I’m gonna have a best man,” Louis said, speaking as if he was saying something weighty and serious. “So I want you to hold the phone so my sisters and Ernest can watch.” 

“And Freddie,” Liam added, voice and eyes noticeably drowsy. “And my sisters.” 

Niall hummed, obviously a bit jealous. Harry paid for their meal again. 

Liam started to feel butterflies in his stomach after they were finished with lunch. It was just about time to go back for the wedding, and he was actually getting butterflies. Not bad, not like he wanted to run. Rather, pure excitement. 

He was finally going to marry the person he loved the most. 

While they made the walk back to the other side of the strip, Liam wondered if it was stupid to be so excited. They had already moved in together, already shared a bed. Liam was already comfortable helping Louis with Freddie, comfortably in love with Louis. In that drunk moment, he had the thought that he was most excited to be able to call Louis his husband. 

“I wrote me vows last night,” Liam heard Louis explaining to Niall. 

Oh, shit. Vows. He had to write vows for Louis. For the wedding. 

He wished he had remembered that at breakfast, before he drank a bottle of beer with his eggs to kick off his day-drinking. 

Liam was quiet and distracted while Niall and Harry helped Louis get everything in order. Louis claimed the sauce packet bouquet and waved it in Niall’s face to make him laugh. Zayn sat quietly, getting ready to stream the ceremony, so Liam sat with him for a little while. 

“How’re you feeling?” Zayn asked, still looking down at Louis’s phone. 

“Good,” Liam said, quietly. “Excited. Nervous, you know?” 

Zayn looked over his shoulder at the doors to the rest of the restaurant. They’d been lead to a private area for the ceremony, but the doors were glass and anyone who came down that hall could see in. There were a few girls standing in the hall, trying to look nonchalant with their phones angled towards the doors. 

“I’d be nervous, yeah,” Zayn replied, nodding at Liam. 

They were both quiet for a bit before Zayn continued, “This makes sense, though. You and Louis, I mean.” 

“Me and Louis getting married in Vegas,” Liam said, smiling. 

“Yeah,” Zayn said, trying to hide his smile. “But, also, like… You make a good pair.” 

Liam looked down at his feet, too embarrassed to look anywhere else. He could feel Zayn smiling next to him, and he couldn’t help smiling too. 

He’d just wing the vows. Louis would probably like that. 

About ten more minutes passed before the ceremony. Liam confirmed Louis’s wedding ring choices-- he’d buy Louis a nicer ring later-- but he mostly sat and waited with Zayn while the other three finished the set-up. Once they were all ready, Niall and Louis briefly left the room, Harry replaced Liam next to Zayn, and Liam went to stand with the officiant. 

Louis requested that Harry play “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette on his phone as Niall walked him down the aisle. 

There was nothing about the situation that wasn’t completely fucking ridiculous, but the gravity of what was about to happen hit Liam hard again as soon as Louis walked back into the room. He looked exactly the same as he had five seconds ago; in a white Warped Tour t-shirt, a pair of Adidas shorts, a pink label-less baseball cap, and shoes with no socks. Holding a bouquet made out of Taco Bell sauce packets. Sweaty, tired, and not put-together. Liam liked it when he looked like that, though. 

Liam felt his face flush, suddenly embarrassed that they were doing this in front of other people. Everything about it felt so deeply personal, down to the smile on Louis’s face as he walked towards Liam. All pointy teeth. Liam loved his smile, and he wanted to explode. 

It took Louis less than a minute to walk from the doors to where Liam was standing, but they let the entire four minute-long song play to the end before anyone said anything. Zayn stifled a laugh, which reminded Liam that he was being broadcast. 

Still a little buzzed, Liam’s ears were ringing through everything the officiant said. Something, something, gathered here today, something something. Liam sighed loudly through his nose and waited for some sort of cue. Watching Louis watch him. 

“I understand you’ve prepared your own vows,” Liam heard the officiant say, perhaps only because he looked Liam directly in the eye as he said it. 

Liam nodded lamely, smiling dizzily at Louis. 

“You first, Payno,” Louis said, smiling like he was daring him. 

Liam nodded, hesitating. 

“I love you, Louis,” he finally blurted out. He blinked, swayed, then continued, “You’re my best friend. You’re my creative partner. I think it’s mad, like, thinking back to when we first got put together, how we couldn’t stand each other. And now, like… Like, look at us now?” 

He smiled, feeling tears in his eyes. Maybe he was more drunk than he thought. 

“I can’t even imagine my life without you, you know? I love waking up next to you every day, I love living with you, always making music with you. I love Freddie, and I can’t wait to be, like, officially raising him with you. You’re just... my favorite person, and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you.”

Liam looked away from Louis only then. Looked out at Niall because he couldn’t think of who else to look at for approval. He shrugged and laughed, embarrassed. Niall shrugged back and smiled like he was unsure why Liam was looking at him. 

“Louis?” the officiant asked. 

“Liam,” Louis said, “You sort of stole all the things I was gonna say.” He paused to let his tiny audience laugh. 

“Honestly, you’re my best friend. And that’s the dream, isn’t it? Marrying your best friend. That’s what it’s all about, and, like, it just feels like this is what I’m -- we’re -- supposed to be doing. Doesn’t it? Feels right, so.” He looked at Liam with too-soft eyes. “Feels like it’s all coming together.”

“You’re a great dad to Freddie, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner, really, creatively, musically, and, you know… in life.” Louis gave a pointy toothed grin and looked Liam in the eye as he said, confidently, “I love you, Payno.”

“I love you too,” Liam mumbled back quietly. 

The final short minutes of the ceremony felt like a complete blur. Liam stared at Louis and Louis stared back confidently. 

There was something entirely unreal about hearing, “May I now present to you Mr. and Mr. Tomlinson-Payne.” Something in Liam’s chest fluttered. “You may now kiss your husband.”

Louis and Liam’s first kiss as a couple was short. Like a push, like a bite. 

There had been a time-- not _that_ long ago-- when Louis and Liam had been at each other’s throats. When Liam saw Louis as an obstacle he had to get over instead of someone he could trust or even love. When Louis would push every single button of Liam’s he could find, because the negative attention was weirdly more satisfying than no attention at all. 

Married seven years later. 

Liam parted from their kiss with a goofy, watery smile. 

“I love you so much,” Liam said. “What the fuck.” 

Louis laughed, then slung his arm around Liam so that he could be close to him and still face the other three boys. He raised his fist over his head and whooped. 

After the ceremony, the five of them crowded around a table to eat all the food that came with the wedding package; 12 tacos and a Cinnabon cake. Besides Harry, they also drank spiked Mountain Dew slushies out of fluted glasses. Harry promised to buy a real bottle of champagne for the newlywed couple later. 

There was a decently-sized crowd of fans waiting inside the Taco Bell when they finally walked out of the private room. Most of them congratulated Louis and Liam; a few of them seemed to think it was a joke, despite the fact that they’d publicly announced their engagement months ago. Some of them just wanted selfies. 

More fans came up to congratulate them when Niall led the group inside Planet Hollywood for another round of drinks before heading back to the other side of the strip. By the time they were headed back over the pedestrian bridge, they’d amassed a pretty large group of people following them. 

Liam couldn’t stop smiling. He held Louis’s hand all the way back to the hotel elevators, leaning away from him a few times to lag a little for someone’s selfie but otherwise keeping up with him. 

Harry made good on his promise and ordered several bottles of champagne from room service. Liam was decidedly drunk after two glasses (and the rest of his day drinking), and he could tell Louis was pretty gone too with the way his eyes looked.

At some point they took taxis over to Bellagio and spent the evening at The Bank, mostly trying to stick together. Liam was drunk in a way that made it hard to focus. All he could do was smile at his husband-- his actual, real-life, in real life husband-- and bob off-beat. 

It was nearly five in the morning when they made it back to their hotel, shuffled sleepily into the hotel’s cafe to order breakfast and juice, trying desperately to recoup. In the middle of eating, Louis had Liam take a selfie with him so he could post something about the wedding on Instagram. 

They headed off to the airport after an hour nap, all five of them piled into Louis and Liam’s bed. Zayn was flying back to Los Angeles, and they saw him off to his gate with a few awkward hugs but very sincere and loving smiles and waves. Niall, Louis, Liam, and Harry had an hour before their flight to New York for the rest of their lad’s holiday.

**Author's Note:**

> currently the fic is unfinished!! the second chapter will go up... ... eventually!


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